Stars
by NicoBiAngelo
Summary: Bob-Centric. Follows Bob throughout House of Hades, and then some. Spoilers.


Of course, Bob does not grasp on to the concept that he isn't made to be the maid of the Underworld immediately.

* * *

The first time he realizes that something is amiss is when he cleans the obsidian informational plaque in front of Tartarus.

The pit is scary. It reeks the foulest stench Bob has ever smelled, and the darkness seems to gather around it. Yet, it feels like something familiar. It feels almost like…_ home._

When Bob asks Lord Hades about it, he is forbidden to clean near Tartarus from then on. It does not matter to Bob anyways. Less work for him.

_Home._

* * *

The second time Bob doesn't feel like he belongs is when Nico sits there telling him of everything that is going on in the world above.

The child had stumbled into the Underworld, wielding tales unheard of. Percy Jackson this, Percy Jackson that. A Titan war, which Nico had looked very nervous about accidentally mentioning, and a blonde with an attitude.

Something bothers Bob about the story. After pondering for a short period of time, he figures it out.

_Titan_.

Something about his past. He hadn't even considered the fact that he had a past before the one called Percy Jackson had told him his name was Bob.

_Titan_.

He doesn't know what a Titan was, but the word is so familiar to Bob.

**_Titan._**

Bob knows he is a Titan.

* * *

The third time, Bob is dusting Nico's Mythomagic statues in the boys room. He is wiping down one of Lord Hades himself, though not very accurate in terms of appearance when he sees it. He had heard about this statue and the tale behind it, no doubt he could have recited it at that very moment. No, that wasn't what had caught his eye. Something behind it.

A picture with Percy Jackson (oh how Bob wished to talk to Percy again) and Nico. At night.

Tiny balls of white litter the sky behind them.

There is a word for the orbs, Bob knows.

_Stars._

* * *

The first thing Bob remembers is the stars.

They appear to him in a dream one night. All he does in the dream is sit there and watch the stars.

The little, bright shining orbs in the sky that he knows were controlled by his friend, Astraeus (though he does not know a face to the name, or even a story about Astraeus), remind Bob of times when he and his brothers were not separated into four parts.

Family. Brothers. Where had that thought come from? Does Bob have a family?

Yes, he does. Lord Hades, Lady Persephone, and little Nico were his family.

He assists them with the "household tasks of utmost importance," as Lord Hades puts it.

Even so, Bob knows that there was a life before he helped with the gardening and cleaning. He just can't remember. No matter how hard he tries, Bob can't remember.

* * *

Bob is baking chocolate chip cookies for his dysfunctional family, when he hears the dining room conversation shift from the norm.

Instead of the usual arguments, this one stands out the most.

"A Titan, father. He could be doing so much more than this-"

"Enough, Nico," Lord Hades says.

With a start, Bob realizes they were talking about him. He was the only Titan here, after all. No matter how hard he tries, he can't make sense of the snippet of the conversation. Bob lets it go.

* * *

The next time Bob talks to Nico, he reveals his remembrance of stars. He expresses his wish to see them again to Nico.

Nico brushes it off, and starts blabbering about a book.

Bob remembers books. He asks Nico for a book.

Nico brings Bob a book next time they see each other.

Ecstatic, Bob sees the word "stars".

The book ends up being about a cancer patient.*

Bob cries when he finishes it.

* * *

Nico goes into the pit one day. Bob wishes he could go as well, he hates mopping the floors.

Bob never sees the son of Hades again.

* * *

Bob is dusting the boy's room when he hears his name.

He follows the sound wave to Tartarus's entrance.

Bob hears his name again,but this time, he recognizes the source.

Percy Jackson.

Bob jumps in.

* * *

Bob sweeps the Empousai off their feet. Literally.

He reconciles with Percy Jackson and meets his sassy girlfriend.

Bob feels happy.

He also feels closer to the stars than he remembers to ever have been.

* * *

Bob knows where the shrine is. He doesn't know how. He helps the sassy one send a note on a napkin.

* * *

Bob likes Peanut M&Ms.

* * *

Bob sees the sassy girl fall onto a gold one.

Gold, not silver like Bob.

Percy teaches him about the good and evil in every race.

Bob believes him.

* * *

Bob lets the words of the ones who give curses ring in his ears.

Memory. Percy Jackson was the one who had taken his memory.

He supposes deep down, he knew it all along. Nothing made sense if it wasn't true.

In a momentary lapse, he remembers a little more.

* * *

Iaeptus. His name is Iaeptus.

A river. A sword. He never got to see the stars then either.

Bob is disappointed he doesn't remember more about the stars.

* * *

He saves Percy Jackson. After all, he is Bob's friend.

He had wiped him of his past. With the malice it contained, Bob felt semi-grateful that he had.

* * *

Maybe it's best to embrace the past while moving on.

That is what Bob thinks the constellations represent.

That is why he feels so close to the stars.

* * *

Bob finds a kitten.

He names it Small Bob.

The kitten hides in his coveralls.

* * *

Bob has second thoughts at the Doors of Death. He is _so close_ he can _feel_ the stars.

But Bob has a duty. He sees his friends arrive. (Diagonal is faster than straight.)

He sides with Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase, once and for all.

* * *

Bob looks through his memories. He has lived a full enough life. They haven't.

* * *

He says a silent goodbye to his sons, Atlas and Prometheus.

He says goodbye to the Underworld, which used to be his realm. He doesn't miss it much, though. Too many dead people. No stars.

* * *

Annabeth gives him a hug. She smells like blood and tears. A faint trace of lemon.

Percy Jackson's eyes say _thank you_.

No one has ever told Bob thank you before.

* * *

Bob asks one last favor of them.

_Tell the stars hello._

* * *

Bob and Not-So-Small Bob protect the button, Not-So-Small Bob protecting Bob, who holds it. When they know their friends have made it, the Doors disappear and both Bobs go and help Damasen.

* * *

They get eaten. All three of them. Small Bob whimpers and hides in Bob's coveralls, dying.

Damasen is long gone, poisoned by Tartarus's stomach acid.

* * *

Bob stands on top of his remains.

He hears a voice whisper.

"Bob says hello." He knows it is Percy Jackson telling the stars hello.

* * *

Bob finally lets go.

* * *

**This hurt me to write, but it needed to be done. -NicoBiAngelo**

***The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, if you haven't guessed already.**


End file.
